Property-tax bills finally in the mail

Wednesday

The last batch of Franklin County property-tax bills should be arriving in the mail today, about 10 days later than normal.

The last batch of Franklin County property-tax bills should be arriving in the mail today, about 10 days later than normal.

The biannual bills are late primarily because the 15th Congressional District race was decided so late, Franklin County officials say. Auditors' offices can't determine tax rates until election results are confirmed, and elections boards can't certify the election until all results are in, said Rick McGivern, settlement officer with the county auditor's office. "They can't certify parts of the ballot."

All Franklin County property owners will have higher property-tax bills because voters approved a tax in March for the county Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. It amounted to $107 per $100,000 of home value, a $47 increase over the tax it replaced.

Operating levies and bond issues approved this year for school districts and townships also will start to be collected with this billing.

The majority of property owners, about 216,000, pay their taxes through an escrow account that's included with their monthly mortgage bills. The bill from the county treasurer's office goes to the bank or mortgage company.

But 205,343 property owners do not have a mortgage and receive a bill or have payments deducted from their bank accounts.

Property taxes are due twice a year -- in January for the first-half taxes and July for the second half. The 646 property owners who have their taxes deducted from their accounts on Dec. 31, most so they can claim the payment on their 2008 income-tax returns, have been told that that won't happen this year and they need to make other arrangements to pay the tax, said Lillian Williams, a spokeswoman for the treasurer's office.

State law requires property taxpayers to be notified of their new payment amount by Dec. 20, at least 10 days before the money is withdrawn from their accounts. However, the treasurer's office didn't know what the new payment amount would be until Dec. 21.

The 5,893 who have their property taxes debited monthly were not affected, Williams said. Neither were the 2,464 who have their taxes debited twice a year -- in January and June.

Treasurer's office employees have been besieged with phone calls in recent days from people who wondered where their bills were, especially those who want to pay by today to get credit in the 2008 tax year. The actual payment deadline is Jan. 20.

Treasurer Ed Leonard said people can pay their property taxes in person between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. today in his office on the 17th floor of the county administration building at 373 S. High St. even if they don't have a copy of the bill.

Those who have a bill can pay at their local bank.

Taxes also can be paid online by using a credit card or bank debit card at www.co.franklin.oh.us/treasurer/.

Dispatch City Editor Carol Ann Lease contributed to this story.

jwoods@dispatch.com

People can pay their property taxes in person between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. today at the treasurer's office.

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